Thanks to the recent passage of the U.S. tax reform legislation, the FCA is now planning on investing additional funds into its U.S. manufacturing operations, in addition to rewarding its employees for their continued efforts in helping to make the company such a success. The announcement came on January 11th, and with it, an implication of positive impacts for the company and the United States as a manufacturing power for Ram products.
Here are some highlights of the FCA's recent decision:
Investment will modernize Warren Truck Assembly to produce Ram Heavy Duty
Ram Heavy Duty truck production will relocate from Mexico to Michigan in 2020
Plant will add 2,500 new U.S. jobs to support production of heavy-duty truck
Approximately 60,000 FCA employees in the U.S. will receive special bonus payment
Total U.S. investment grows to more than $10 billion since 2009, with more than 25,000 jobs created to date
Production move solidifies U.S. as the global manufacturing hub for Ram products
First, the Company confirmed that it will invest more than $1 billion to modernize the Warren Truck Assembly Plant (Michigan) to produce the next-generation Ram Heavy Duty truck, which will relocate from its current production location in Saltillo, Mexico, in 2020. This investment is in addition to the announcement made in January 2017, which committed to spending a portion of $1 billion in Warren Truck Assembly to expand the Jeep® product line with the addition of the all-new Jeep Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer. The Saltillo Truck Assembly Plant will be repurposed to produce future commercial vehicles for global distribution.
To support the increased volume at the Warren facility, 2,500 new jobs will be created, above and beyond the jobs announced as part of the January 2017 announcement.
Second, the Company confirmed that it will make a special bonus payment of $2,000 to approximately 60,000 FCA hourly and salaried employees in the U.S., excluding senior leadership. The payment, which recognizes employees for their continued commitment to the Company’s success, will be made in the second quarter of this year, and will be in addition to any profit sharing and salaried performance bonuses that employees would otherwise be eligible to receive in 2018. The special bonus will be paid to all eligible employees of the FCA automotive and components operations in the U.S.
“These announcements reflect our ongoing commitment to our U.S. manufacturing footprint and the dedicated employees who have contributed to FCA's success,” said Sergio Marchionne, Chief Executive Officer, FCA. “It is only proper that our employees share in the savings generated by tax reform and that we openly acknowledge the resulting improvement in the U.S. business environment by investing in our industrial footprint accordingly.”
Investment in U.S. Manufacturing Grows
FCA has invested $10 billion in its U.S. manufacturing operations since June 2009. Most recently, the Company announced investments totaling $3.5 billion, with the addition of 3,700 new jobs, to strengthen its U.S. manufacturing base, and align U.S. capacity to extend the Jeep and Ram product lines.
Those investments and related actions involved production shifts at three plants in Illinois, Ohio and Michigan to gain capacity for the Jeep Cherokee, Jeep Wrangler and Ram Light Duty truck, and the introduction of three new Jeep models at plants in Ohio and Michigan.
The investments include:
$350 million in the Belvidere Assembly Plant (Illinois) to produce the Jeep Cherokee, which moved from Toledo, Ohio, in 2017. More than 300 new jobs were added to support production.
$700 million in the Toledo Assembly Complex (Ohio) to retool the North plant to produce the next-generation Jeep Wrangler. Approximately 700 new jobs will be added to support production.
$1.5 billion in the Sterling Heights Assembly Plant (Michigan) to build the next-generation Ram 1500 truck. More than 700 new jobs will be added to support production.
$1 billion in the south plant of the Toledo Assembly Complex to prepare the facility to produce an all-new Jeep truck, and in the Warren Truck Assembly Plant to modernize the plant to build the all-new Jeep Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer. More than 2,000 new jobs will be added at these two plants to support production.